U.S. patent number 6,830,291 [Application Number 10/429,253] was granted by the patent office on 2004-12-14 for guide rail for a driver.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Webasto Vehicle Systems International GmbH. Invention is credited to Martin Langguth.
United States Patent |
6,830,291 |
Langguth |
December 14, 2004 |
Guide rail for a driver
Abstract
A guide rail (2) for a driver (4) which can be driven and which
is coupled to a vehicle component, especially a sliding roof cover,
with a guide channel (8) for holding an elongated, axially movable
drive element (19) and with a guide (7) for movably supporting the
driver (4) which is connected to the drive element (19), the guide
channel (8) fitting around the drive element (19) and being formed
of surrounding parts that alternate in the axial direction on
different sides, on one of the sides the respective surrounding
parts being interrupted so as to form a continuous slot (14) in
which a connecting part (18) which connects the drive element (19)
to the driver (4) is movably held.
Inventors: |
Langguth; Martin (Krailling,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Webasto Vehicle Systems
International GmbH (Stockdorf, DE)
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Family
ID: |
28799001 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/429,253 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2003 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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May 3, 2002 [DE] |
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102 19 965 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/216.08;
296/223; 384/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60J
7/0573 (20130101); B60J 7/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60J
7/02 (20060101); B60J 7/04 (20060101); B60J
7/057 (20060101); B60J 007/057 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/216.08,223
;384/26,42 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1 108 578 |
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Jun 1961 |
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DE |
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28 56 015 |
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Oct 1981 |
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DE |
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44 22 646 |
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Aug 1995 |
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DE |
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2 771 970 |
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Jun 1999 |
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FR |
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2 327 644 |
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Feb 1999 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Pedder; Dennis H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nixon Peabody LLP Safran; David
S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Guide rail for a driver which is drivable and which is coupled
to a movable vehicle component, said guide rail comprising a guide
channel for holding an elongated, axially movable drive element and
with a guide for movably supporting the driver is connected to the
drive element, the guide channel having surrounding parts which fit
around the drive element alternating in an axial direction on
different sides thereof, one of the sides of the respective
surrounding parts being interrupted so as to form a continuous
slot, and a connecting part which connects the drive element to the
driver being movably held in the slot.
2. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot is formed on
a side of the guide rail facing the driver.
3. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surrounding parts
are made in the shape of a circular arc and the slot is formed
essentially symmetrically in the middle of the guide channel for
the drive element.
4. Guide rail as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guide channel for
the drive element is formed in the middle of the guide rail.
5. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide rail is
straight at least in sections.
6. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide rail is
curved in at least one of up, down and sideways lengthwise
directions.
7. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive element is a
threaded cable.
8. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver is a
sliding element which is coupled to a sliding roof mechanism.
9. Guide rail as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide rail is one
of a die cast and an injection molded part.
10. Guide rail as claimed in claim 9, wherein the guide rail is a
die casting made of metal.
11. Frame of a motor vehicle roof with a movable roof part for
closing and at least partially clearing a roof opening of a motor
vehicle and having at least one guide rail, said at least one guide
rail comprising a guide channel for holding an elongated, axially
movable drive element and with a guide for movably supporting the
driver is connected to the drive element, the guide channel having
surrounding parts which fit around the drive element alternating in
an axial direction on different sides thereof, one of the sides of
the respective surrounding parts being interrupted so as to form a
continuous slot, and a connecting part which connects the drive
element to the driver being movably held in the slot.
12. Frame as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flame is a plastic
injection molding and the guide rails are metal die castings
attached thereto.
13. Frame as claimed in claim 11, wherein the guide rails are in
one piece with the frame formed as an injection molded part.
14. Guide rail as claimed in claim 11, wherein the slot is formed
on a side of the guide rail facing the driver.
15. Guide rail as claimed in claim 11, wherein the surrounding
parts are made in the shape of a circular arc and the slot is
formed essentially symmetrically in the middle of the guide channel
for the drive element.
16. Guide rail as claimed in claim 15, wherein the guide channel
for the drive element is formed in the middle of the guide
rail.
17. Guide rail as claimed in claim 11, wherein the guide rail is
straight at least in sections.
18. Guide rail as claimed in claim 11, wherein the guide rail is
curved in at least one of up, down and sideways lengthwise
directions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a guide rail for a driver which can be
driven and which is coupled to a movable vehicle component,
especially a sliding roof cover.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 44 22 646 C1 discloses a frame for motor vehicle
roofs on which a cover for the roof opening is movably supported.
The cover can be moved by means of a drive cable which is guided in
a guide channel which is formed on the frame. The guide channel is
formed such that it surrounds the drive cable in its axial
direction alternately on different sides. The cover is supported
via sliding blocks on separate guide rails which are made or
mounted on the frame so that it can be moved selectively between
the closed and the open position. These separate guide rails are
disclosed, for example, in published German Patent Application DE
28 56 015 A1 and counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,293,161.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide the
initially mentioned guide rail with improved functionality and
simplified production as well as to devise a frame with such a
guide rail.
The object is achieved by a guide rail for a driver which can be
driven and which is coupled to a movable vehicle component,
especially a sliding roof cover, with a guide channel for holding
an elongated, axially movable drive element and with a guide for
movable support of the driver which is connected to the drive
element, the guide channel fitting around the drive element
alternating in its axial direction on different sides, on one of
the sides, the respective surrounding part being interrupted by a
continuous slot, and a connecting part which connects the drive
element to the driver being movably held in the slot.
The guide rail with the guide channel can be produced with a
simple, two-part mold tool, for example, for injection molding
without undercuts. By the shaping of the continuous slot, the drive
element or drive cable can be connected to the driver so that, on
the guide for the drive element or the drive cable, a guide for the
driver, which can generally be a slider or a carriage, can be
integrated in a compact arrangement. The guide rail can also be
integrated later in one piece on the frame of, for example, a
sliding roof, or it is mounted later on such a frame.
The object is also achieved by the frame of a motor vehicle roof,
with a movable roof part for closing or clearing a roof opening,
especially a sliding roof frame, with at least one guide rail, in
which the frame is either an injection molding made of plastic or a
die casting made of metal.
Embodiments of the guide rail are explained in detail below with
reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a guide rail with a
driver which is movably supported on it;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the guide rail taken along line
2--2 in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 7 & 8 are corresponding views, but
FIG. 7 showing a plastic frame attached to and formed as part of
the guide rail, respectively and FIG. 8 showing a piece frame and
guide,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the guide rail taken along line
3--3 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of the
guide rail which runs curved sideways in the plane of movement of
the driver;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of the
guide rail which runs curved downward in the direction of movement
of the driver; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view from above of a sliding roof unit for
a motor vehicle roof which contains at least one guide rail in
accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A guide rail 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 3), which is, for example, part of a
frame 2 of a sliding roof unit 3 for a motor vehicle (see FIG. 6)
and is formed, for example, as a plastic injection molding or a
metal die casting, and especially as an aluminum die casting, and
on which a driver 4 is movably supported, contains a central
section 5 with legs 6 which are molded onto both sides. The legs 6
project upward from the central section 5, for example, at a right
angle, and have leg ends 7 which are directed outward from the
middle section 5 and give the legs an inverted L-shape.
Along the guide rail 1, in the middle of the central section 5, a
guide channel 8 is formed by alternating first and second wall
parts 9, 10 of the central section 5. The first wall parts 9
surround the guide channel 8 (see FIG. 3) on its bottom 11 and two
opposing sides 12 while leaving the top 13 open, and the second
wall parts 10 surround the guide channel 8 (see FIG. 2) on the two
opposing sides 12 while leaving it open on the bottom 11. However,
the top 13 of the second wall parts 10 do not fully close the top
of the guide channel 8, since the tops are interrupted by an open
slot 14. Accordingly, the guide rail 1 is shaped such that it can
be produced by a split mold tool with two mold halves without
undercuts.
The driver 4 is made such that it can be moved along the guide rail
1, but is held in the transverse direction and to the top on the
guide rail 1. To do this, the driver 4 fits around, for example,
each of the two leg ends 7 with a respective holding section 15
which is supported on the lower support surface 16 of the leg ends
7. The holding section 15 can be formed in one piece, or in the
installation of the driver 4 on the guide rail 1, if it is seated,
for example, from overhead on the guide rail 1, can be mounted
later. The contour of the bottom of the driver 4 can be matched to
the contour of the guide rail 1 such that more guiding or sliding
surfaces are formed than the number which is necessary for clear
guidance of the driver 4. The driver 4 can also be supported on the
guide rail 1 by means of roller bearings. This guide is thus merely
exemplary and can also be formed by guideways and guide surfaces
which are formed differently on the guide rail 1.
Furthermore, the driver 4 contains a connecting part 17 which is
connected by means of a bridge 18 to the driver 4. The connecting
part is held in the guide channel 8 such that, when the driver 4
which is mounted on the guide rail 1 moves, the bridge 18 is moved
through the respective slot. On the connecting part 17, a
conventional drive cable 19 for a sliding roof cover is mounted
which likewise extends through the guide channel.
The embodiment of the guide rail 1 shown in FIG. 4 is formed with a
uniform curvature in the plane of the guide rail 1. The driver 4
accordingly has curved guide surfaces. The driver 4 can also be
made so short in the direction of motion that it can also follow
the curvatures of the guide rail 1 with nonuniform radii of
curvature and different directions of curvature. For guidance in
the transverse direction on the guide rail 1, the driver 4, for
example, in the direction of motion, has guide sections which are
short in the area of its front side 20 and its rear side 21.
Between the two guide sections, then, there can be room for guide
curvature of varied extent.
According to another embodiment, the guide rail 1, in the
lengthwise direction, can have at least a curvature up and/or down
(see FIG. 5) so that concave and/or convex paths can be produced.
This curvature up or down can also be combined with a lateral
curvature as shown in FIG. 4 (not shown).
The sliding roof unit 3 shown in FIG. 6, on each of its two
opposing lengthwise sides 22, contains one such guide rail 1 with a
driver which is supported on it (not shown in FIG. 6) and on which
a sliding roof cover 23 (only its right half is shown
schematically) is movably supported via the respective connecting
elements. The sliding roof unit 3 has a rear transverse part 24
which is produced in one piece in a plastic injection mold and
which contains the cable channels 25, 25' for the right drive cable
19 and the left drive cable 19', a drive motor 26 and the run-out
channels 27, 27' for the two free ends of the drive cables 19, 19'.
These cable channels are formed in the same way as the described
guide channel 8, but do not require a slot 14 if a driver 4 is not
guided at the same time on it.
Mounting of the drive cable 19 can easily take place in this guide
rail such that the driver 4 pulls the drive cable 19 though the
guide channel 8. In the prior art, conversely, the drive cable is
inserted through its guide channels, in which special care must be
taken to prevent the danger of kinking of the cable.
The guide rail with the driver is suited for driving a host of
movable motor vehicle parts such as hatches, locks, cabriolet roofs
or covers of sliding roofs and sliding and lifting roofs.
* * * * *